Women's Health

Timed Toileting and Double Voiding

What is timed voiding?

Timed voiding refers to going to the bathroom to void based upon the clock, not how you feel. Often, by the time a woman feels the need to void, it’s too late. The purpose of timed toileting is to prevent the bladder from overfilling so that you don’t need to rush to get to the toilet in time and you have less leakage.

When you wake up in the morning, the first thing you should do is empty your bladder.

Watch the clock. You should try to void every 2 hours. If you drink a lot of fluids or have caffeinated drinks you may need to void every 1-2 hours.

Try to not go more than 3 hours without visiting the toilet. If you wait too long you will be more prone to accidents.

You should go to the washroom just before you go to sleep.

What is double voiding?

Double voiding refers to spending extra time on the toilet to try to empty your bladder completely. Many women rush to get off the toilet and leave urine inside the bladder. Over months and years of doing this, it may become harder for the bladder to fully empty. When urine is left inside the bladder it increases your risk of bladder infections, increases how often you need to void and you can have more leakage.

When you go to the washroom, don’t rush!

Relax when you void. Do not try to stop the stream of urine. This will help the bladder empty fully.

When you think you’re done, use the following methods to try and void a second time.

Sit for another 15-45 seconds

Lean forward and sit up straight again

Move side to side

Stand up, move around and sit down again

Some women have a prolapse of their bladder. If you feel a bulge in the vagina, you can use your fingers to push the bulge back up in to the vagina. Urine stuck in that pocket can then empty. You cannot hurt yourself doing this.

At the end you should give a little push to make sure the last drops of urine get out. Do this by pushing your belly out and holding for a few seconds.